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Michigan 3rd in cutting licensed gun dealers
Josey1
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Michigan 3rd in cutting licensed gun dealers
Study cites tougher background checks, stricter federal laws
By Mike Martindale / The Detroit News
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DETROIT -- Michigan posted the nation's third-largest drop in the number of licensed gun dealers, according to a study released Wednesday.
The Washington, D.C.- based Violence Policy Center study said the number of federal firearms licenses in Michigan dropped from 12,076 in January 1994 to 3,016 in April 2002 -- down 9,060 licensees, or a whopping 75 percent decrease.
"Additional federal requirements to become a licensed firearms dealer since the 1990s have helped to reduce the number out there and hopefully the number of available firearms," said Marty Langley, author of the study, who added that nationally numbers have dropped 74 percent.
"This means there are less 'kitchen table' dealers out there -- people selling them out of their homes or back yards, rather than behind a counter at a legitimate business."
Thousands of people across the nation, including Michigan, became federally licensed dealers of guns and ammunition over the years, not as a livelihood but in order to buy weapons at wholesale rates and have materials shipped to their homes or businesses. Licensed dealers popped up in places such as ice cream parlors, schools and military bases.
Studies have shown that so-called kitchen-table dealers are more likely to supply firearms for street gangs, drug dealers and other criminals.
"There are several reasons the number of dealers have gone down," said Vera Fedorak, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms spokeswoman.
"The increased application fees -- now $200 rather than $30 -- have turned off a lot of people who were getting licenses to just benefit themselves only, not to conduct business."
She added that in the past, licensees outnumbered the number of ATF inspectors and the department couldn't track them all. Now the ATF interviews them during the application process.
Authorities also credited the 1993 Brady Bill and 1994 federal crime bill with helping to reduce the number of firearms available on the street.
"The bottom line on this is that as the number of licenses are reduced, it makes it more manageable for local agents and police to inspect premises of licensees to make sure they are operating appropriately and legitimately," said Langley. "That wasn't the case before."
You can reach Mike Martindale at (248) 647-7226 or mmartindale@detnews.com.
http://www.detnews.com/2002/metro/0209/26/d01-597623.htm
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Study cites tougher background checks, stricter federal laws
By Mike Martindale / The Detroit News
Comment on this story
Send this story to a friend
Get Home Delivery
DETROIT -- Michigan posted the nation's third-largest drop in the number of licensed gun dealers, according to a study released Wednesday.
The Washington, D.C.- based Violence Policy Center study said the number of federal firearms licenses in Michigan dropped from 12,076 in January 1994 to 3,016 in April 2002 -- down 9,060 licensees, or a whopping 75 percent decrease.
"Additional federal requirements to become a licensed firearms dealer since the 1990s have helped to reduce the number out there and hopefully the number of available firearms," said Marty Langley, author of the study, who added that nationally numbers have dropped 74 percent.
"This means there are less 'kitchen table' dealers out there -- people selling them out of their homes or back yards, rather than behind a counter at a legitimate business."
Thousands of people across the nation, including Michigan, became federally licensed dealers of guns and ammunition over the years, not as a livelihood but in order to buy weapons at wholesale rates and have materials shipped to their homes or businesses. Licensed dealers popped up in places such as ice cream parlors, schools and military bases.
Studies have shown that so-called kitchen-table dealers are more likely to supply firearms for street gangs, drug dealers and other criminals.
"There are several reasons the number of dealers have gone down," said Vera Fedorak, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms spokeswoman.
"The increased application fees -- now $200 rather than $30 -- have turned off a lot of people who were getting licenses to just benefit themselves only, not to conduct business."
She added that in the past, licensees outnumbered the number of ATF inspectors and the department couldn't track them all. Now the ATF interviews them during the application process.
Authorities also credited the 1993 Brady Bill and 1994 federal crime bill with helping to reduce the number of firearms available on the street.
"The bottom line on this is that as the number of licenses are reduced, it makes it more manageable for local agents and police to inspect premises of licensees to make sure they are operating appropriately and legitimately," said Langley. "That wasn't the case before."
You can reach Mike Martindale at (248) 647-7226 or mmartindale@detnews.com.
http://www.detnews.com/2002/metro/0209/26/d01-597623.htm
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Comments
Sure looks like the government is doing everything it possibly can to undermine the peoples ability to arm themselves. By reducing the number of dealers they are effectivly creating a monopoly where the dealers that are left will set the market value for firearms at a premium. I believe we are already witnessing the ill-effects at our local shops and gun shows. Its the same principle as the high cap mag situation. If they got something that they know you cant get somewhere else cheaper then they are gonna take advantage of you and say its a supply and demand thing.
When Clinton left office they gave him a 21 gun salute. Its a damn shame they all missed....